New Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics

2012taylorj · May 31, 2018

This is a new interpretation of quantum mechanics involving multiple dimensions, from two papers on OSF preprints. Tell me what you think of it.

New interpretations and thought experiment in quantum mechanics

1 Introduction

Throughout this article a new interpretation of quantum mechanics shall be explored. It postulates that the Schrodinger wave is a physical object, but it’s description is incomplete, since the Schrödinger equation/ wave function is only describing the three dimensional aspect of the wave. In summary the outcome of the wave function we observe is the outcome that exists in three dimensions, the other outcomes take place but in more than three dimensions, so the wave function is incomplete because it only describes the wave function as existing in only three dimensions. When we collapse the wave function, we are actually isolating the three dimensional outcome of the wave function away from the rest of the wave, thus giving it particle properties. Furthermore at the end of the article, we shall be discussing an experiment that will either prove or disprove quantum randomness for certain, and is based around two physicists measuring the position of a particle at exactly the same time. This article was inspired as an effort to add new development to issues in quantum mechanics that I thought lacked evidence or ideas that were too absurd to fit in with our experience of our everyday reality (interpretations of quantum mechanics).

2 Many dimensions interpretation of quantum mechanics

Overview of the interpretation

This interpretation hypothesizes that all outcomes of the wave function of a particle do occur, but occur in in more than three dimensions. According to mainstream thought in quantum physics the wave function of a particle tells us the probability of finding that particle within three-dimensional space, when an observation is made the wave function collapses to a single irreversible Eigen state. This is the measurement problem, how can a particle collapse from existing in a state of mathematical possibilities to one physical object in one position. However this interpretation offers a new concept that the particle exists as a physical version of the Schrödinger wave, but the other unobserved outcomes exist in more than three dimensions, but in contrast the result we measure is the result which exists in three dimensions. The wave function is describing the possibility of finding the particle in three dimensions, the other possibilities do occur but occur in more than three dimensions. The Schrödinger wave and wave function are in a sense incomplete, since they only describe the three dimensional nature of a particle. Collapse occurs due to the fact that when we observe the possibility that exists in three dimensions we have isolated it from the rest of the wave and therefore loses its wave properties. What is meant by this is that by one of the possibilities of the wave function that happens to exist in three dimensions, we have confined it to just three dimensions, and therefore can only move and interact on a three dimensional scale, thus losing wave like properties such as interference because it cant interact with the other waves since it is confined to just interacting on a three dimensional scale, due to our three dimensional measuring equipment.

Explanation of the double slit experiment

Overview of the experiment:

1) When an electron is fired out of an electron gun, it is travelling as a hyper dimensional wave.

2) When it encounters the double slit the waves interfere with each other across dimensions, and create an interference pattern, when each electron is detected. The interference pattern can be explained through constructive and destructive interference. We cannot observe this interference because parts of the wave exist in more than 3 dimensions (for example a part could exist in 7 dimensions). The reason why it is impossible to observe an object in more than three dimensions, is due to the fact that in order to observe an object in it’s entirety, it needs to be measured in all of it’s. For example you cannot observe a 3 dimensional object in just 1 dimension, however you can measure these properties individually, for example measuring the length or width of an particular object.

3) The collapse of the wave function occurs when the part of the wave function that exists in three dimensions is observed and thus isolated so that it now behaves as a particle.

The EPR paradox:

The basic concept of the EPR paradox is that if there is a particle which decay into two smaller particles, assuming that the original mother particle was stationary, the decayed daughter particles will have equal and opposite angular momentum, and spin in opposite directions. If one were to measure the spin of one of these particle one would instantaneously know the spin of the other particle (which would be opposite), even if it was far away. In order to explain this using the Copenhagen one would have to invoke communication faster than the speed of light, which is a paradox since Einstein had shown that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. The EPR paradox can be explained, in this interpretation by simply permitting faster than light communication, but this faster than light communication does not apply to meaningful information, as proposed by other physicists.

Quantum Tunneling

Quantum tunneling is the phenomenon in which a particle can pass through a barrier that a classical object could not penetrate. There is a probability of detecting the particle on the other side of this barrier, and if an observer decides to measure the position of the particle, it has now tunneled from one side of the barrier to the other since it has now been detected on the opposite side of the barrier to which it was initially. This interpretation says that the probability aspect of this phenomenon is not the probability of detecting the particle/ outcome that exists in three dimensions. Furthermore the spread out wave was able to penetrate the barrier due to the concept that occasionally there might be enough energy for the particle to penetrate this barrier, and the probability of it doing so decreases exponentially with the increasing width of the barrier, similar to that of bohemian mechanics.

Potential explanation for dark matter

This interpretation could offer an explanation for dark matter. The explanation being that when astronomers are carrying out observations of the universe, they are only observing the part of the wave function/universe that exists in three dimensions. But what about the other possibilities that are not in three dimensions? These other possibilities of the wave function/Schrödinger equation that exist in more than three dimensions, is the answer to dark matter, and produce the bizarre observations of galaxy rotations, along with other phenomenon that dark matter should account for. After all if particles do existing a state of superposition, with multiple outcomes happening for one event in more than three dimensions, it would naturally expected to see some gravitational effects.

Quantum Decoherence

This phenomenon occurs due to particles, interacting with its environment, and the waves becoming out of phase, due to this interaction. The only difference is that in this interpretation it occurs across multiple dimensions, but does however yield the same results.

From Paper 2:

Introduction

Throughout this article we will revisit the many dimensions interpretation of quantum mechanics, with much more clarity.

1 Why it is that according to this interpretation the Schrodinger equation is incomplete

According to this interpretation of quantum mechanics a particle exists physically as a spread out wave, in which most of it exists in more than three dimensions, but there is typically however, one point that exists in just three dimensions, and this is the part that we observe, and when observed it starts to behave as a particle, and the probability of finding this point is described by the wave function. The Schrodinger wave equation is therefore incomplete because it is describing the particle in terms of existing in three dimensions, when in fact most of it exists in more than three dimensions. Therefore it is inaccurate because it is describing particles, which actually exist mainly in more than three dimensions as existing in three dimensions, according to this interpretation.

2Nature of the wave function

The wave function does not tell you the probability of finding the particle in a certain location, but the probability of finding the part of this spread out wave that exists in three dimensions, in a certain location. When the wave function has collapsed to an eigenstate, it can then be confirmed that the other possibilities that were not observed of the wave function have manifested in more than three dimensions.

3 Quantum tunneling:

Quantum tunneling occurs, because there is a probability of detecting the point of the Schrodinger wave that exists in three dimensions on the other side of the potential barrier, not the probability of detecting the whole particle (which exists as a spread out wave). The 3d part of this spread out wave is able to penetrate the potential barrier classically, because occasionally it might have energy to do so for various reasons, such as an electron knocking into an electron, could give it more kinetic energy to do so. The probability of these occurring decreases exponentially as the width of the barrier increases, and is a similar explanation to that of Bohmian Mechanics.

4 Double slit experiment

1) When an electron is fired out of an electron gun it is travelling as a wave in which most of it is travelling in more than three dimensions, but typically one point is travelling in just three dimensions (the point that we measure).

2) When it encounters the double slit the waves interfere with each other across dimensions, and an interference pattern builds up, over time as the electrons hit the detector screen one by one. The interference pattern can be explained through constructive and destructive interference. We cannot observe the particle as a wave because most of this wave exists in more than three dimensions (for example a part could exist in 7 dimensions), and since we are only capable of detecting objects that exist in three dimensions, we will only be able to detect the part of the Schrodinger wave that exists in three dimensions, nothing else and from this it can be concluded that we cannot observe it as a wave, because when the part that exists in three dimensions is measured it starts to behave like a particle, and loses it’s wave like properties. Furthermore we cannot even observe the parts of the wave that exist in more than three dimensions, in just three dimensions anyway because in order to observe something it needs to be observed in it’s entirety, and therefore needs be observed in all of it’s dimensions. For example you cannot observe a 3 dimensional object in just 1 dimension, however you can measure these properties individually, for example measuring the length or width of a particular object.

3) The collapse of the wave function occurs when the part of the wave function that exists in three dimensions is observed and thus isolated so that it now behaves as a particle, and a more detailed explanation of this mechanism is explained in the previous article.

y, because occasionally it might have energy to do

so for various reasons, such as an electron knocking into an electron, could give

it more kinetic energy to do so. The probability of these occurring decreases

exponentially as the width of the barrier increases, and is a similar explanation

to that of Bohmian Mechanics.

4 Double slit experiment

1) When an electron is fired out of an electron gun it is travelling as a wave in

which most of it is travelling in more than three dimensions, but typically one

point is travelling in just three dimensions (the point that we measure).

2) When it encounters the double slit the waves interfere with each other across

dimensions, and an interference pattern builds up, over time as the electrons hit

the detector screen one by one. The interference pattern can be explained

through constructive and destructive interference. We cannot observe the

particle as a wave because most of this wave exists in more than three

dimensions (for example a part could exist in 7 dimensions), and since we are

only capable of detecting objects that exist in three dimensions, we will only be

able to detect the part of the Schrodinger wave that exists in three dimensions,

nothing else and from this it can be concluded that we cannot observe it as a

wave, because when the part that exists in three dimensions is measured it starts

to behave like a particle, and loses it’s wave like properties. Furthermore we

cannot even observe the parts of the wave that exist in more than three

dimensions, in just three dimensions anyway because in order to observe

something it needs to be observed in it’s entirety, and therefore needs be

observed in all of it’s dimensions. For example you cannot observe a 3

dimensional object in just 1 dimension, however you can measure these

properties individually, for example measuring the length or width of a

particular object.

3) The collapse of the wave function occurs when the part of the wave function

that exists in three dimensions is observed and thus isolated so that it now

behaves as a particle, and a more detailed explanation of this mechanism is

explained in the previous article.

1 Why it is that according to this interpretation the Schrodinger equation is

incomplete

According to this interpretation of quantum mechanics a particle exists

physically as a spread out wave, in which most of it exists in more than three

dimensions, but there is typically however, one point that exists in just three

dimensions, and this is the part that we observe, and when observed it starts to

behave as a particle, and the probability of finding this point is described by the

wave function. The Schrodinger wave equation is therefore incomplete because

it is describing the particle in terms of existing in three dimensions, when in fact

most of it exists in more than three dimensions. Therefore it is inaccurate

because it is describing particles, which actually exist mainly in more than three

dimensions as existing in three dimensions, according to this interpretation.

2Nature of the wave function

The wave function does not tell you the probability of finding the particle in a

certain location, but the probability of finding the part of this spread out wave

that exists in three dimensions, in a certain location. When the wave function has

collapsed to an eigenstate, it can then be confirmed that the other possibilities

that were not observed of the wave function have manifested in more than three

dimensions.

3 Quantum tunneling:

Quantum tunneling occurs, because there is a probability of detecting the point

of the Schrodinger wave that exists in three dimensions on the other side of the

potential barrier, not the probability of detecting the whole particle (which exists

as a spread out wave). The 3d part of this spread out wave is able to penetrate

the potential barrier classically, because occasionally it might have energy to do